The invention relates to a selector lever arrangement for automatic transmissions of motor vehicles, having a manual shift facility and a selector lever, which in a shifting gate can be moved forwards or backwards in only one plane into the positions park, reverse, neutral, and drive (P, R, N and D).
EP 0 736 408 B1, for example, discloses such a selector lever arrangement for automatic transmissions of motor vehicles, having a manual shift facility and a selector lever, which in a shifting gate can be moved forwards or backwards in only one plane into the positions P, R, N and D.
For manual shifting, the selector lever in EP 0 736 408 B1 following the position D, is brought into a further neutral position M, from which it can be moved in a spring-loaded return movement into a forward position “+” actuating a switch to produce an upward shift, and into a rear position “−” actuating a switch to produce a downward shift. In this case all positions are situated in one plane. The selector lever in a detent gate can furthermore be brought out of the position D into the area of the further neutral position M only by operating a locking button on the handle for the actuation of a spring-loaded locking pin, which interacts with the detent gate, after overcoming a locking cam, the further neutral position M on the detent gate being formed by a roof-shaped angle section and the spring-loaded locking pin interacting with the detent gate standing at the apex of the angle section when in the neutral position M and after shifting forward “+” or backward “−” being returned, spring-loaded, to the neutral position M by the slanting of the angle section.
As can be seen, the locking button is fitted on the side or the front of the handle of the selector lever. The locking button usually also serves to allow exit from the park position or also changing of the gear position.
For ergonomic reasons the hand rest is here designed thicker in the upper area. Such selector lever arrangements are usually located in the area of the center console between the seats next to the driver, so that the hand rest is well within the reach of the driver and the park position P ends just before the transition to the dashboard. This presents the problem that the driver is virtually touching the console with his hand or there is only very little space available, which is perceived as uncomfortable. It would certainly be desirable to design the hand rest larger, so as to afford the driver a comfortable support for the hand.
The selector lever arrangements, however, reach a compromise between driver ergonomics and the necessary mechanical function, this compromise being at the expense of the ergonomics.